


The Warm Breeze

by AleishaDreams



Category: Free!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Children, Children, Children Fluff, Fluff, M/M, Orphanage, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-08-24
Updated: 2015-09-11
Packaged: 2018-04-17 02:22:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,972
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4648626
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AleishaDreams/pseuds/AleishaDreams
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It all started one day, with a simple idea in the middle of a TV program about giraffes in some country in Africa.</p><p>“We should open an orphanage.”</p><p>Haruka Nanase looked back at his companion, friend, and lover Makoto Tachibana, who was also looking at him with determined eyes full of green life. The blue-eyed man tried to look for a light of doubt in Makoto’s eyes but failed to find it. Makoto had an idea, and that idea was serious.</p><p>“Alright,” Haruka replied that day, and he will never forget how bright Makoto’s smile was.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Yesterday I was on my twitter and thought of this.
> 
> Done without any kind of research, and unbeta'd.

It all started one day, with a simple idea in the middle of a TV program about giraffes in some country in Africa.

“We should open an orphanage.”

Haruka Nanase looked back at his companion, friend, and lover Makoto Tachibana, who was also looking at him with determined eyes full of green life. The blue-eyed man tried to look for a light of doubt in Makoto’s eyes but failed to find it. Makoto had an idea, and that idea was serious.

“Alright,” Haruka replied that day, and he will never forget how bright Makoto’s smile was.

 

 

Haruka is an ex professional swimmer. He recently retired after having a successful career with various Olympic medals, and trophies around the world. Haruka decided to finish his career when he turned 28 years old, saying that he was ready for a simple life accompanied by his loved ones.

Makoto is a teacher, specialized in swimming. He has a job at the Olympic pool in their city. Currently he’s the only one with a job from the two of them. He’s also 28 years old. He has been supporting Haruka since the blue-eyed decided to begin a career as a professional swimmer.

The both of them have known each other since forever. Makoto’s earliest memory is of Haruka – deep and big blue eyes looking at him with curiosity –, and it’s the same for Haruka with Makoto – a bright and cheerful smile dedicated only to him –. They have been lovers for about ten years, when they moved to Tokyo to go to college, and they finally confessed their love to each other.

 

 

Opening an orphanage wasn’t easy. It involved a lot of bureaucracy, paperwork, payments, buying a huge terrain in the country side, and a lot of other tedious things. It was so troublesome that Haruka wondered why Makoto wanted to open one in the first place, so he asked him.

“There are a lot of children out there who wish for a family. I think we should do something about it.”

With that answer, Haruka immediately understood how important this was for Makoto, and it started to be important for him too. Memories of a lonely childhood invaded his mind. With his father living in another city because of work, and his mother having to work in the local convenience store, his house looked way too big for a child who was only 10 years old.

And yet, he was always well received in the Tachibana’s household. Open arms, warm dinners, and pats on the head were always a must in his lover’s family.

Haruka would love to give children a second opportunity.

 

 

A year later, “The Warm Breeze Orphanage” finally opened its doors and it immediately received its first children with open arms, warm dinners, and pats on the head for them.

It still wasn’t an easy job, but Makoto had always loved children and they love him. And, somehow, Haruka was also good with kids, even though he could be more serious and reserved.

The Warm Breeze Orphanage started small, with a small group of children of different ages. Each of them had a unique personality and different origins. Makoto and Haruka always tried their best to not single out kids or to show any preferences, but there was a specific group of children that immediately attracted – and kind of demanded – their attention .

There was Nagisa, a blonde, bubbly, and happy boy who loves sweets, and to give hugs to everyone.

There was Rei, a blue-haired, shy, and intelligent boy who wears red glasses, loves to read, and has an adorable fixation with butterflies.

There was Ai, a silver-haired, shy, and enthusiast boy who sometimes stutters but is always trying his best.

There was Momotaro, an orange-haired, hyper, and big-mouthed boy who loves bugs, laughs a lot, and jumps all over the place.

And, finally, there were – as Haruka nicknamed them – “The Red Siblings”. Rin and Gou, a boy and a girl, that looked like twins but weren’t. Rin was also loud, loved to climb trees, and he somehow became the children’s leader. Gou was a sweet girl who knew how to get what she wanted with determined eyes, and was the second in command of their group. Although Haruka and Makoto thought that she was, secretly, the real leader.

This group started to call themselves “The Team”.

All the kids were 8 years old when they arrived, except for Rin that he was 9 years old. And even though they all were strangers when they first arrived, now they treat each other as a family.

 

 

A year has passed since Makoto and Haruka begun this adventure. Kids come and go through their doors every now and then. Some accompanied by their new family, with a big smile on their faces. It’s bittersweet to see them go, because both Haruka and Makoto are happy about the children to have a new family, but it’s sad to see them go.

Curiously, “The Team” members haven’t been adopted. For some reason, the potential parents decide to not adopt any of them and neither Makoto nor Haruka understand why. At first, Makoto suspected it’s because The Team is too close to each other, but that idea was thrown when a couple showed interest in Nagisa but in the end decided otherwise. Nagisa was obviously sad, and the rest of The Team cried along with him, telling him that surely the next time will be the one.

Haruka says it must be bad luck, because there is no other reason to explain such anomaly. That is, except The Red Siblings.

Couples have shown interest in Rin multiple times, but his only condition is that they must take Gou too. It’s the same for Gou, saying that she’ll only accept if they take Rin too. That immediately throws off people because their original plan is to adopt only one child, not two. Makoto knows that he should tell The Red Siblings that nowadays couples only want one child, and that if they continue like that they won’t be able to find a family, but he doesn’t have the heart to separate them.

 

 

“Haru, don’t forget. Today we’re receiving a new kid,” Makoto says as he organizes some paperwork over his desk. Haru simply nods to the news, sitting at his own desk. “Did you read the info?”

Makoto offers Haru some papers with the child’s info. Haru once again nods, but still takes the papers to read them one more time.

Yamazaki Sousuke, 11 years old. Had a terrible car accident last year where his parents died, and now his right shoulder is permanently hurt. He has been living with in a temporal foster house until today in the time that he was recovering from the accident.

Haruka thinks this case is going to be difficult.

“It’s going to be hard. Right, Haru?” Makoto asks, somehow reading Haru’s mind. “He might end up closing himself…”

A child closing themselves up when they arrive to this place isn’t anything new. This is a different place where they will be living for an undetermined amount of time with a really uncertain future. It doesn’t matter that both Makoto and Haruka try their best to welcome every child with the warmest attitude, it’s only natural for the kid to be reluctant at first.

Their conversation is interrupted with a knock coming from the window, they both look at the source of the sound to find red eyes focusing on them with intensity. It’s Rin, who is sporting a wide grin and his forehead is against the glass, when he sees that Haru is looking at him, the redhead sticks out his tongue at him.

Haru arches one eyebrow, unimpressed by Rin’s antics, and by the corner of his eyes he can see Makoto trying to not laugh. After that, Rin laughs, this time looking at Makoto and waving his hand – to what Makoto responds waving his own –. Rin smiles one last time and runs away.

“Rin has a crush on you,” Haru comments as he leaves Sousuke’s papers in the desk.

“Don’t be ridiculous. He’s just 11 years old, Haru,” Makoto says, chuckling at the idea, anyways.

“He’s a little gay boy.” Makoto laughs again.

“If he has a crush on someone, that someone must be you, Haru. That’s why he’s always challenging you, to attract your attention.”

Makoto walks towards Haru, standing behind him, and placing his hands over the smaller man’s shoulders, massaging a little.

“More like to duel me for your hand in holy marriage,” Haru says, and his heart flutters when Makoto laughs again.

“Well, you don’t need to worry, Haru,” Makoto assures, bending to kiss Haru’s hair, “I promise you I won’t be swooned by Rin’s valiant strategy. Let’s go, you need to start preparing today’s lunch.”

They both exit the office, walking to the kitchen.

 

 

“I think someone new is coming today,” Rin says.

He’s standing up in front of The Team, with his hands on his waist, and separated feet – that’s how a leader stands up when giving their group news –. “And I suspect it’s a boy.”

They are under a big tree that is their unofficial meeting point. The tree’s leaves are an orange color thanks to the autumn weather.

“Amazing, Rin-chan!” Nagisa expresses with starry eyes, “How did you know?!”

“I saw the cleaning lady preparing the bed next to mine this morning, so I went to spy on Makoto and Haru and they looked like they were having a serious conversation.”

“Incredible, Rin-senpai!” Ai says, his eyes are shimmering too, looking directly to Rin.

“’Rin-chan’, ‘Rin-senpai’… I’ve told you to call me ‘Leader’!” Rin objects, clenching his fists, and stomping a foot against the floor.

“Rin-chan-leader!” Rei tries to call his attention, lifting up a hand. Rin groans, giving up.

“Yes, Rei?”

“Do you have more info about the new child? His age or, perhaps, his name?”

“No, I don’t. But, who cares? We still have to get him to join our group.”

“Why do you want another boy with us?” Gou questions, arching an eyebrow in a really Haru-way.

“Because the more we are, the better.”

Rin truly believes that the more The Team grows up in members, the better opportunity they have in the orphanage because they will be able to support each other. Not everyone accept to join them, though, maybe because they are intimidated by the strong link The Team’s members already have. Besides, what’s so wrong about wanting to have more friends?

“Lunch is about to start,” Rin continues speaking, “So I’m guessing the new boy will arrive just before dinner.”

“Rin-senpai, Rin-senpai! Do you know what are we having for lunch?” Momo asks, also lifting his arm.

“Why do you lift your arm if you aren’t going to wait for your turn to speak?...” Rin murmurs, “But no, I don’t, Momo. Wait, that’s not even the subject!”

Momo pouts, visibly disappointed by their leader’s response.

“Anyways, that’s everything I had to say! You’re dismissed! You may continue your day as usual,” Rin declares.

“You mean that you’re going to challenge Haru, again, and lose, again?” Gou asks, hiding her smirk behind her hand. Rin clicks his tongue.

“Shut up, Gou.”

 

 

“Don’t worry, Sousuke-kun,” the lady in the front seat says while driving, looking at him just for a moment through the rearview mirror, “You are going to love this place! I’ve heard really good things about it.”

Sousuke doesn’t look at her, only stares through the window to the grey outside. It was sunny this morning, but that quickly changed a few hours ago and now the streets are wet with rain. The sun is going down slowly behind the mountains. He’s sitting in the back seat of a car, with only his suitcase as his company in there.

“There are lots of kids in there! That means lots of new friends, Sousuke-kun!”

The woman sounds really cheerful, and Sousuke wonders if it’s because she won’t be the one living there. His left hand travels to his right shoulder to squeeze it a little, a habit he recently got after having to wear the shoulder brace a few months ago after his surgery.

“We are almost there, Sousuke-kun. Don’t forget to smile!”

The car stops in front of a big two-story building. A sign that reads “The Warm Breeze” is in the front part. Sousuke can see the place has lots of trees that look a little sad because of the rain that fell over them. The building has lots of windows, and it’s painted with a soft yellow that makes Sousuke think of baby chickens.

“It’s here, Sousuke-kun.”

His companion says as she takes off the belt. Sousuke doesn’t want to, but he unbuckles himself too. A sigh escapes from his lips while opening the car’s door and pulling his suitcase out. The chill wind receives him immediately, caressing his cheeks with cold hands. Sousuke follows the woman through the main door, entering to the reception of the place.

It’s warm inside.

“Hello, there!” another woman, much younger than his companion, greets them from behind a desk, “You two must be Akiyama-san and Sousuke-kun, right?”

The receptionist stands up and bows. Akiyama-san does the same.

“That’s right. Is Tachibana-san or Nanase-san in here?”

“I’m here, Akiyama-san.”

A tall man enters the room. He has brown hair and green eyes, he’s smiling widely. Instead of looking at Akiyama-san, the man looks directly towards Sousuke. The boy tightens his hand in the suitcase’s handle.

“Sousuke, how are you?” the man asks him.

But Sousuke doesn’t feel like replying, so he just looks away. Akiyama-san giggles apologetically on his behalf.

“You must forgive him. He’s a little nervous, Tachibana-san.”

“That’s alright,” Tachibana-san says, never looking away from him, “Sousuke, why don’t you sit down here while I and Akiyama-san go to my office?”

 The man turns to the receptionist, still all smiles, “Nakahara-san will accompany you.”

The receptionist – Nakahara-san – beams at him with a gentle smile. Akiyama-san and Tachibana-san walk away talking when Sousuke sits down on a chair in front of a window, but his teal eyes don’t abandon the white tile of the floor, that is until he hears a knock.

He looks up to the window and finds red.

Red hair and red eyes, vibrant against the gray of the sky.

It’s a boy who is smiling at him, and frantically waving both hands. Sousuke frowns. Seeing that he has Sousuke’s attention, the boy points to a direction, and the black-haired boy looks there. It’s a long corridor, but if he were to follow it, he would get away from the receptionist. Sousuke looks to Nakahara-san. She’s distracted with something in the computer, rapidly typing away with agile hands. His eyes return to the red boy, who is now calling him with his hand before walking away.

Sousuke doesn’t think much of it, he gets up and starts walking down the aisle. The corridor has windows all the way to the end, so Sousuke can see the red boy running outside alongside the hallway. The black-haired boy has to start running to not lose sight of the red hair.

At the end of the corridor is a door, and suddenly Sousuke doubts he should exit the building, but the boy with red hair just continues to run, and something inside of Sousuke tells him to follow him. He opens the door as soon as he’s in front of it, the sun blinds him for a moment, he hears shouting, and feels something slightly wet falling on him.

“Welcome!” a girly voice says, promptly followed by other voices saying the same.

Sousuke opens his eyes to find himself surrounded by other kids, all of them smaller than him, but all of their eyes are bright and starry. He looks down the floor, discovering orange leaves in there, which must be what he felt falling over him. Looking around, he doesn’t see any trees nearby. Does that mean these kids brought the leaves all this way to meet him?

“Welcome!” another voice says, and Sousuke is met with red one more time.

It’s the red-haired boy who leaded him. A cocky smile adorns his face. “What’s your name?” he asks.

The black-haired boy doesn’t answer, instead he looks around again to the group of children. All the eyes are on him. Suddenly he feels exposed.

He turns down his eyes.

“My name is Momo!” a kid of orange hair exclaims as if the question was for him.

“And I’m Nagisa!” a blonde kid introduces himself.

Soon all the kids say their names – Gou, Nagisa, Rei, Ai, Momo – and, lastly, the red boy.

“And I’m Rin. We are The Team, and I’m the Leader!” he points his thumb to his chest as he says that. “So… what’s your name?”

Sousuke clenches and unclenches his hands various times, feeling itchy in his shoulder brace, but resisting the temptation to scratch. He gulps down the rock living in his throat. His teal eyes look again to the red, fiery ones.

“Sousuke.”

When the leader – Rin – is about to say something, more voices call his name. Adult voices.

“Shit, it’s Haru and Makoto,” Rin says, looking alarmed.

“Rin-chan said a bad a word!” the blonde yells, covering his mouth with both hands.

“This is not the time for that, Nagisa!”

“Rin-chan-leader, I’m sorry but I have to notify Haruka-san and Makoto-san about this bad behavior in your language,” the boy with red glasses warns.

“There they are!” the girl says as she points her finger in one direction. In the distance, two adult males are running towards them.

“Run!” Rin orders and everyone – except Sousuke – obey, disappearing as if they never were in front of Sousuke’s eyes.

Tachibana-san and another man of black hair reach Sousuke, both of them breathing hastily when they stop.

“Sousuke…” Tachibana-san starts with a hasty breathe, “You worried us… don’t leave like that!”

The other black-haired man doesn’t say anything, his blue eyes are moving everywhere, looking for the group of kids who escaped.

“They are gone,” the man concludes. Tachibana-san sighs, but still smiles.

“I guess that means you’ve met The Team, Sousuke.”

Sousuke looks down. A red leaf is in the ground.

“We better get inside, Akiyama-san and Nakahara-san are also looking for you, Sousuke.”

Tachibana-san and the other man open the door, giving their backs to Sousuke.

Sousuke bends down to pick up the red leaf and put it in his jacket’s pocket.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story is planned to be a simple one with short chapters. It's not really going to have a plot, but more like chapters full of their simple lives at the orphanage.
> 
> Still, I hope you like it!


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Look, I know it’s hard,” Rin begins, “Getting used to this. It’s hard.”

Rin remembers the first night he passed in The Warm Breeze.

It was the first time in months he hadn’t slept with Gou at his side – they had been separated in the boy’s and the girl’s sections – and he was missing her warmth next to him. He tossed and moved all night long because he couldn’t find a comfortable position in the seemingly too spacious bed, even though he perfectly knew it was a normal sized bed.

It’s because of this that it doesn’t surprise him when he hears Sousuke in the bed next to his, moving and grunting softly.

Rin moves to his side and opens just one eye, careful to not be seen by the other kid. Sousuke is indeed moving too much, trying every possible position to fall asleep – arms above the head, on his stomach, on his back, on his side – but nothing seems to work. At last, the black-haired kid gives up with a deep sigh, sitting on his bed and scratching his eyes with both hands.

The redhead opens his eyes, looking directly to Sousuke, before murmuring. “Can’t sleep?”

Sousuke jerks at the sound, turning his eyes towards Rin, and he immediately frowns. Maybe he doesn’t appreciate being observed in silence.

“It’s normal,” Rin continues whispering. “It happens to everyone the first night, don’t worry.”

The frown in Sousuke’s face deepens, to later look away. He scratches his right shoulder.

“Whatever,” Sousuke says, also whispering.

“When I can’t sleep, I go to Makoto’s room. He talks with me until I can sleep again.”

“I don’t wanna go to Tachibana-san’s room.”

Rin sees how Sousuke clenches and unclenches his fists once.

“Do you want to—“

“No!” a third voice in the room says, coming from the other side. Rin immediately sits to see what’s happening.

It’s Nagisa, who is sitting on his own bed but his eyes are closed, drool falling down his chin.

“That cake is mine,” Nagisa mumbles before falling in the bed again, snoring.

Rin and Sousuke stay silent, observing the blonde boy in the distance with impressed eyes. The redhead covers his mouth when he feels he’s about to have a fit of laughs. He looks at Sousuke and discovers him trembling, his lips closed tight. In that moment, the teal eyes lock with the red ones, and then it’s Sousuke who has to cover his mouth, looking away from Rin.

The Leader, of course, doesn’t accept this and decides to throw his pillow at Sousuke, hitting him in the back of his head.

“Why did you do that?!” Sousuke whispers, looking at him again.

“You looked like you were shitting yourself,” Rin responds with a cheeky smile.

Sousuke arches his eyebrows. Rin is expecting Sousuke to throw back his pillow to start a fight, but instead of that, the black-haired boy simply takes his pillow, hugs it, and lies down the bed, turning his back to Rin.

“Oi! That’s my pillow!” Rin says, lowering his voice.

“You gave it to me, it’s your loss.”

Rin opens his mouth to object, but stops at the last moment. He decides that maybe that’s what Sousuke needed to calm down. He lies down in the bed again, looking at Sousuke’s back, to later let himself be taken by dreams.

 

 

A yawn, long and loud, breaks the silence of the room when Makoto feels the drowsiness covering his eyes.

He looks up at the clock hanging in the wall, reading 11:15 PM. The kids were taken to sleep since 9:30 PM, but Haruka’s and Makoto’s day doesn’t end there, they must continue with other administration work in their office, mainly now that Sousuke has just arrived.

It’s no surprise that The Team welcomed Sousuke like that, that group always try their hardest to make new children feel welcomed when they give their first step inside of The Warm Breeze. Makoto suspects it’s because Rin wants The Team to have more members, although Makoto doesn’t know why exactly. Still, the brunette somehow thinks that Sousuke will do it.

“Let’ go to sleep,” the voice of his lover says from the other desk. Makoto chuckles when seeing that Haru is practically asleep while sitting in his chair, with his eyes closed and head down.

“Yeah, let’s go, Haru-chan,” he replies, and laughs a little harder when Haruka opens his eyes to glare at him.

They both stand up. Their office, dining room, classrooms, and infirmary are on the first floor of the building, while on the second floor are the bathrooms and the bedrooms. Makoto and Haruka decided long ago to live in the orphanage instead of having another place to live nearby, as they both agree that it’s for the best to be within reach for the kids. The only disadvantage about it is that they can’t share a bed because sometimes children – mainly Rin – enter their room in the middle of the night because they can’t sleep for whatever reason. It’s not as bad as it sounds, and Haruka and Makoto have gotten used to sleep in separate beds quickly.

“Do you think Sousuke is having trouble to sleep?” Makoto asks going upstairs.

“They always have the first night,” Haru replies, following Makoto.

“I hope he can sleep, tho, tomorrow is his first day of class.”

They don’t really have a school in the orphanage, but they decided to hire some teachers in order to not let the kids fall behind their classes while residing there. The groups are small, so it’s not that hard to work with them.

“You’re over thinking again,” Haru says as he opens the door to their bedroom and turns the lights on.

“You’re right.” Makoto laughs a little. “It’s just that…”

The brunette stops talking, letting his words linger in the air for a moment, to sit down on his bed. His green eyes are fixed on the floor, and he bites his lower lip.

“I’m worried about him,” Makoto admits. Haruka doesn’t say anything, so Makoto looks up to him and finds the blue eyes on him already.

Time freezes between them, as it usually does when Haru looks at him with such intense eyes, blue covering Makoto and submerging him in a peaceful ocean.

“I know,” Haru says finally, allowing time to advance again, “But your worry won’t help him getting adopted.”

It’s a sad truth. A truth that Makoto has seen multiple times already in the short year he has owned the orphanage. People are selective about what kid they want. They imagine this perfect child that came from heaven just for them, but soon are disappointed when they are met with normal children doing what children do. Couples usually go for the boys – because boys are the ones who will carry the family’s name – unless they already have a boy and then they will look for a girl. The younger the child, the better, that way couples can teach them whatever they want. Also, able-bodied children are what the couples look for.

Sousuke could be classified as a non able-bodied child. Sure, he can use his injured arm just fine, but Makoto is sure that a huge majority of people would look at him and think that he’s “defective” because that’s how a lot of people are. Not to mention the responsibility that such injury carries – therapies, hospitals, doctors – and that means spending a lot of money.

Not to mention that Sousuke is “old” – 11 years old – by couples’ standards.

Makoto passes one hand through his brown hair, sighing tiredly again with closed eyes. He feels warmth on his shoulders, so he opens his eyes and is met with blue looking at him. Haruka is with his knees on the floor before him, and his hands over Makoto’s shoulders.

“Makoto.”

Haruka doesn’t say anything else, but he doesn’t have to, all what Makoto has to do is to look into those deep blue eyes to understand what his lover is trying to say. Makoto smiles.

“All we can do is giving our best,” the brunette says, and Haru corresponds his smile with a small one of his own, making Makoto feel like he just witnessed a miracle of nature.

It gets better when Haru kisses him softly.

 

 

“Shhhh, Nagisa, stop!”

A whisper caresses his ears, soft and almost unnoticeable.

“But, Rin-chan, it’s tradition!”

Another voice interrupts his dreams.

“That tradition is stupid, anyways.”

“Ah! Rin-senpai said a bad word!”

“Rin-chan-leader, I must tell Makoto-san and Haru—“

“Shhh, just stop!”

“I’m done!”

Teal eyes open immediately and at first he doesn’t recognize the roof in front of him. He enters in panic for a brief second but stops when he remembers where he is.

The Warm Breeze Orphanage.

And there are a bunch of kids around him.

Sousuke sits quickly, looking everywhere, and discovers that his bed has been invaded for a big amount of animal dolls of all types and sizes.

“Surprise!” the blonde kid and the orange-haired kid says in unison, with their arms wide open in the air. The rest of The Team, except for the girl, is there too.

“Ugh, this is so embarrassing,” the redhead says, crossing his arms and looking away. “You all are such children.”

Sousuke decides to not say anything about how the redhead is also a kid.

“This is a tradition that Rin-senpai started,” the silver-haired boy starts to explain with a proud smile, much to Rin’s disdain.

“Sousuke doesn’t need to know that, Ai!” Rin yells, his face almost as red as his hair. “Anyways, you should hurry up. Breakfast is about to start and you need to take a shower.”

It’s then that Sousuke realizes that the rest of the room is empty, just him and The Team remain. That means they waited for him.

 “C’mon, Sou-chan, I can take you to the showers!” the blonde kid says, taking him by the hand.

“No!”

Sousuke frees his hand rapidly, and freezes when he realizes what he did. The Team is looking at him, surprised, wide eyes directed to him in silence.

Sousuke scratches his right shoulder.

“I can go alone,” he murmurs, looking down.

Nobody says anything for a while and the silence is deafening in Sousuke’s ears.

“Alright, you all go out,” the Leader declares with a serious voice.

The Team obeys without question, giving Sousuke a last glance before going out of the room, leaving Rin and Sousuke alone. What is the redhead trying to do?

“Look, I know it’s hard,” Rin begins, “Getting used to this. It’s hard.”

Sousuke lowers his eyes, not wanting to see Rin. He’s tired of everyone telling him that everything will be alright with time, of everyone trying to tell him he should simply let things go on their own.

“But,”

Rin walks closer to him, looking at him with fire on his eyes that oblige him to finally return the gaze.

“Don’t you dare, I repeat, don’t you **dare** to hurt anyone in this place. Not Nagisa, not Ai, not any kid or any other person in this place. And yes, that includes Makoto and Haru.”

Sousuke’s heart is beating loudly against his chest, and it feels like he can’t take his eyes off Rin’s. He knows he should feel annoyed with Rin’s ridiculous threat, but for some reason is quite the opposite; Sousuke finds Rin’s voice making echo inside his head. The words are lost in his mind, but it’s the voice that keeps resonating like an endless song.

Rin frowns at his silence, but seems to accept it as an appropriate answer because then he’s looking away.

“You have to hurry to the showers. If you don’t, you won’t get dessert after breakfast,” the redhead says.

With that last piece of information, Rin runs out of the room, leaving Sousuke by himself with a horde of animal dolls around him.

 

 

The dining room is full as usual, loud with giggles, laughs, and yells as usual, and full of life as usual.

This is what Haru does every morning since The Warm Breeze opened. He is in charge of the orphanage’s kitchen, and he can brag himself of making a good job cooking – if the kids’ demands for second portions is any evidence of that. And most of all, Haruka enjoys cooking while Makoto is the one serving the plates with a big smile and a happy “Good morning!” in his lips.

The kitchen is besides the dining room, connected by a big window that has a counter where Haru puts the plates for Makoto to pick up and distribute. The room looks more like a cafeteria of a school than anything else, but like this Haruka can have an eye in whatever is happening with the kids and his lover, in the remote case of the brunette needed help with something.

“Everyone is here, except for Rin and Sousuke,” Makoto tells him, resting his arms in the counter of the window. The brunette looks kind of worried, biting his lower lips, pensive.

“Rin must be waking him up,” Haruka says. “Don’t they have a tradition or something like that?”

“Ah, you’re right!”

Makoto is visibly more relaxed when he remembers this. Haruka continues with his work in the kitchen. In his opinion, Makoto is worrying way too much about Sousuke, and Haru is afraid of Makoto trying to get close with the kid way too quickly. Sousuke seems to be the kind of kid who prefers to be alone when he’s upset. Besides neither Makoto nor Haruka knows in what conditions Sousuke has been living in that temporal foster house.

Perhaps Sousuke hasn’t even been able to mourn his parents in peace. Maybe Sousuke was notified of his parents’ death after the surgery. Was Sousuke able to go his parents’ funeral?

There are too many possibilities that they know nothing about.

Haru understand that Makoto is trying make Sousuke feel welcomed and safe, but sometimes being alone is what a person needs to deal with their owns issues.

“Ah!”

Makoto exclaims and Haruka looks at him. Makoto is facing the dining room again, and his green eyes are centered on red hair. Rin enters the dining room and immediately sits with the rest of The Team, with whom he shares hushed words and little peeks towards Nagisa. Makoto’s senses must have tingled that something is wrong, because in a second he’s walking to The Team’s table, all under Haru’s attentive eyes. Rin smiles when he sees Makoto next to them, his red eyes gleaming while talking with the brunette. Haruka snorts.

“Little gay boy,” he murmurs with a tiny smile on his lips as he measures the milk to prepare more pancakes.

Not that he blames Rin. Makoto is perfect and easy to fall in love with. Perhaps Rin doesn’t realize it, or doesn’t recognize what he feels for Makoto as “that” kind of love, because he indeed is so young and naïve. Haruka would know, he didn’t realize he was in love with Makoto until late Middle School but didn’t attempt anything until the last year of High School.

Love is too complicated sometimes.

A sigh coming from his side distracts him from his thoughts, looking to the window to discover Makoto there again. He looks disappointed; he must have gotten no new information about what is happening.

“Rin says everything is fine,” Makoto comments, not looking at Haru but instead to the bar in the window, making little circles with his index finger.

 _But I know that isn’t truth_ , Haruka translates in his mind the silent words behind Makoto’s line.

“That means he still can handle it,” Haru says as he pours the pancake batter on the pan. A perfect pancake circle starts to softly fizz, and the buttery and delicious smell covers the room.

Makoto sighs once again, but this time it sounds more convinced and relieved. “Yeah, Haru. You’re right. He always comes to us when he needs us.”

Haruka flips the pancake with a twist of his wrist, while looking at Makoto, but then his attention is diverted to the door where a tall and lanky boy of black hair stands. It’s Sousuke, who looks confused and a little angry, scratching his right shoulder. Blue eyes meet the green ones again. It seems Makoto hasn’t noticed Sousuke in the room yet and Haruka sincerely thinks that’s for the best. Makoto can be a little too meddlesome sometimes, but Haru understands that’s because he honestly wants the better for everyone.

In the distance, Haru sees Rin lifting his arm and waving it, catching Sousuke’s attention. The black-haired boy looks a little surprised, but he still slowly walks to sit with The Team.

Haru sighs, content.

Placing the two pancakes on each plate, Haruka pours maple syrup on them and puts banana slices next to them, to finally give Makoto the two dishes. He nods to The Team’s table, making Makoto turn his head.

Sousuke is sitting next to Rin, and everyone in the table is talking lively, except for Sousuke. That doesn’t worry Haru. The fact that the boy has decided to sit in that table means that he’s willing to try it. Makoto seems to be thinking the same, because his smile is tender and warm.

**Author's Note:**

> This story is planned to be a simple one with short chapters. It's not really going to have a plot, but more like chapters full of their simple lives at the orphanage.
> 
> Still, I hope you like it!
> 
> Comments and kudos are always appreciated!!
> 
> You can also find me on my tumblr [AleishaDreams](http:www.aleishadreams.tumblr.com) and my twitter [ActualAleisha](http:www.twitter.com/actualaleisha)


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